Review of Gomorrah (2008) by Benson F — 27 Nov 2013

I had almost stopped watching this film before I realized that it was a documentary(!) about a real mafia civil war in southern Italy. Not being familiar with the crime cartels in southern Italy, the book or this movie (not sure how it got in my queue), I was horrified by the nonchalant violence and systemic corruption portrayed in this film.

All was redeemed, however, by the excellent interviews (on the bonus material DVD) of the director, Matteo Garrone (who went to the actual locations and used local actors) and author, Roberto Saviano (who had to go into hiding after publishing his book exposing the inner workings of the cartels), who both spoke about the five heartbreaking and unforgettable story lines chosen from the book.

Hard to watch, but important to see and know about!